INFLUENCE OF FRANCIS BACON a 



tangible shape to his noble dream. But the seed which he sowed 

 had not fallen on waste ground. The political troubles had 

 indeed retarded the process of its germination. But there had 

 arisen in the country a remarkable group of men who, stirred by 

 similar ideals and working each in his own line, had taken up 

 experimental investigation, as the pursuit of their lives, or of 

 their leisure. Among these pioneers it is enough to recall the 

 names of Robert Boyle, John Wilkins, John Wallis, John 

 Evelyn, Robert Hooke, Christopher Wren, and William Petty. 



Some interesting particulars respecting the intercourse of 

 these men in their scientific researches are to be found among 

 the letters of Robert Boyle. Thus, writing from London on 

 October 22, 1646, to M. Marcombes (who had been his French 

 tutor in England), Boyle alludes to his studies in 'natural 

 philosophy, the mechanics and husbandry, according to the 

 principles of our new philosophical college that values no 

 knowledge, but as it hath a tendency to use '. He asks his 

 correspondent to bring from abroad with him to England ' good 

 receipts or choice books on any of these subjects which you can 

 procure ; which will make you extremely welcome to our invisible 

 college '. Again, on February 16, 1646-7, he writes from London, 

 ' The corner-stones of the invisible or (as they term themselves) 

 the philosophical college do now and then honour me with their 

 company,' and he speaks in eulogistic language of the enthusiasm 

 and modesty of these men. On May 8, 1647, in a letter to 

 Samuel Hartlib he refers again to the ' Invisible College V 



There does not appear to have been for some years after this 

 correspondence any attempt to form a definitely organized College 

 or Society. The meetings were probably only friendly reunions 

 at Boyle's house or at the rooms of some of the other congenial 

 spirits, or not infrequently in taverns, 2 where they might discuss 

 with each other the problems on which they were engaged or the 

 experiments which they wished to see undertaken. 3 As one of 



1 Works (1744), vol. i, pp. 17, 20, 24. 



2 Aubrey records that they mett at the Bull-head Taverne in Cheapside (e.g. 1658, 

 1659, and after) till it grew to big for a clubb, and so they came to Gresham College 

 parlour '. ' Brief Lives/ ii, p. 302. 



3 Aubrey states that ' the first beginning of the Royal Society (where they putt discourse 

 in paper and brought it to use) was in the chamber of William Ball, Esq., eldest son of 



B 2 



